CHAMPIONS: Dazzling debut for freshman champion Archer

HUNTERSVILLE – It didn’t take long for Lake Norman Charter’s Hannah Archer to adjust to high-school tennis.

Archer, a 14-year-old freshman, capped her first season by winning a state championship in N.C. 1A singles. She won 6-0, 6-4 against Mount Airy High’s Jordan Jackson at Cary Tennis Center on Oct. 27.

It was the third time in eight days Archer had beaten Jackson, a senior who was the defending state champion. They’d met in the 1A West regional final and in the dual-team playoffs.

“It was really a big experience for me because it’s the first time I’ve done something this big,” Archer said. “Getting there and playing well was amazing. It was a really tough final. Each time I played Jordan, she got better and matches went longer. In the final, I relaxed and focused. I just told myself to relax, move my feet and hit the ball.”

Archer finished with a 17-3 record in singles. At the state tournament, she won three of six sets at love and lost only seven games in six sets.

“I just try to be an all-around player,” said Archer, who was named the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A conference player of the year.